Lukas Eastman
Lukas Eastman is a rookie cornerback for the Baltimore Ponies. History The sports world runs deep in the Eastman household. All it takes is witnessing one of the far too regular arguments over whether the Minutemen or Spirits should be on TV during family gatherings, and heaven forbid they were playing each other that day, to grasp the passion the Eastman family has towards sports and how die hard they are for their teams. This was pressed upon the kids from an early age as well; from game day jerseys for all, to feather dye, the young Eastman’s were thrust into the world of sports their whole life. Though Lukas always stood out a bit from the rest of his flock and not just because of his feathers lack of vibrant color. Born with leucism meant that his feathers never turned the bright hues colors of his siblings, him being the youngest of three boys, instead remaining an off white. Though he was not an albino as he was often mistaken as, his striking blue eyes clearly stood out from the rest of his single hued plumage. No, mostly he hated game days. Maybe it was because his white feathers made him a favorite canvas for his relatives to dye him in their team colors, the red hue would remain for days even after showers, or maybe unlike his siblings and cousins preferring to actually play the sport over locked up in the house staring at the TV. When he could sneak away from his family he would join his neighbors in whatever sports they were playing, usually something simple like soccer with trees as goalposts or basketball at the one wolf’s house that had a hoop installed. Football though, football would not come until he was nine. His uncle decided to take him to an Orioles game, a birthday present for the both of them since the dates fell so close to each other. It was the first time Lukas ever attended a professional game and it was unreal. TV really did the atmosphere no justice, the noise from the crowd as the tide of the game rocked back and forth, the tension building as the final minutes of a tight game crawled by until the final whistle blew and the home fans could release their collective held breath as their team closed it out after the defense knocked the final pass out of the air. Lukas wanted to be in the center of that. It only took a week of begging before his parents finally caved to his wish, agreeing somewhat reluctantly to sign him up for a pee-wee team next season. Of course by the time the new season rolled around Lukas built fantasies would crumble. The problem was their QB. The lion picked on players and Lukas being so new to the sport he quickly targeted him, chastising him for every mistake. The fact the coach enabled him, having blinded himself to his own son’s behavior, only dampened Lukas’ spirits as his first season of football came to an end. But despite the emotional pain he would not deny that he had fallen in love with the game. However it almost came to an end; his parents had their doubts after watching the dejected peacock struggle through his first season and doubted the time investment if it made him unhappy, almost refusing to sign him up for the next year before his older brother Ryan stepped in. Seven years his senior, Ryan was a godsend for Lukas. When his parents doubted Lukas going another season Ryan volunteered to drive him and pick him up from practice. And while Ryan had never played sports growing up, he like most of his family had a wealth of knowledge and did everything in his power to help Lukas learn the game. In the process of doing so he made a suggestion that would shape Lukas’ career, he pushed Lukas to focus on the defensive side of the game. He did not have the physical build needed for most of the positions, but would be perfect as a defensive back. His speed meant he could match opponents stride for stride and Ryan knew he could sharpen the young peacock’s mind to read the defense. It did not take much convincing after hinting it would give Lukas a chance to shut down that lion who had made his first year so dreadful. His older brother ended up as the one constant pillar of support even after Ryan has moved onto college, still making it back to watch his little brother play and even volunteering as a broadcaster for games. Ryan’s guidance and Lukas’ passion and determination jumpstarted his rapid development. In highschool he was one of the rising defensive prospects in the state and by the time he had finished his high-school career he could say he had helped them win a Virginia State Championship, even earning the game ball for his performance after two key interceptions that locked the game in their favor. Despite a myriad of interest from schools across the country he decided to stay close to home, choosing his brother’s almamater Alexandria Avian University, where he would start as a Freshman as one of their Cornerbacks. By junior year he was clearly their best player on defense, having finished growing to an impressive height of 6’5” and looked poised to declare for the UFFL draft, but a mid-season clavicle fracture put that idea on rocky footing he was knocked out the final eight weeks of the season, only able to return to the team in time for their low tier bowl game. Thanks to the doubts whispered into his ear by his parents, he decided to stay one more year, one more chance to show the UFFL what he was made of; and to silence his parents worries by finishing his degree. It was a strong season, despite the team only improving slightly over their past season Lukas shone. He pulled down 9 interceptions on the year and helped them secure a bowl game victory. With four years under his belt, and a degree in Business Administration, he declared for the UFFL draft, leaving Alexandria Avian University with a school record of 24 interceptions. Rookie Scouting Report Brock Brezniski: After looking at the tape, I’m convinced Lukas is the best cover corner in the draft. His height and length are enough of a deterrent to effectively halve the field, while his ball skills are excellent and he can keep up with the fastest receivers. I’d like to see him work on his tackling, because everything else is there. Coupled with his dedication and work ethic, Lukas is a superstar in the making. Contract Info Statistics Individual Win-Loss Record Category:Cornerbacks Category:2019 Draftees Category:Baltimore Category:Avians